Electrical switch.



O. L. DAVIS.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14. 1913.

1,081 ,022, Patented Dec. 9, 1913 OTIS I. DAVIS, OF IOWA. CITY, IOWA.

ELECTRICAL swrrcn.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application ma July 14, 1913. Serial at. 778,910.

Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTIS L. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Iowa City, in the county of Johnson and State of Iowa, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Electrical Switches; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the characters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this application, and represent, in

Figure 1 a face View of a switch constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 an end view of the same. Fig; 3 a: central transverse sectional view. Fig. 4 a sectional view on the line ab of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 a sectional view on the line c-d of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 a perspective view of one of the ratchet wheels and contact disks detached.

This invention relates to an improvement in electrical ,switches, and particularly to that class in which certain parts must be i brought into predetermined relation inorder to complete the circuit, the object being to provide an electrical switch operated by push buttons and particularly adapted for automobiles where it is desirable to prevent an unauthorized person from closing the circuit; and the invention consists in the construction hereinafter described and particularly recited in the claims.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a fixed shaft 2and a rock shaft 3 mounted in the casing 4 which is closed by an outside cover or plate 5. Mounted on the fixed shaft 2 but insulated therefrom are a series of ratchet wheels more or less in number, (herein shown as three) namely, 6, 7 and 8. Coupling with these ratchet wheels are disks 9, 10 and 11. These disks are insulated from the ratchets but are connected so as to turn therewith in any desired manner, herein shown frictionally, by cup-like in sulating washers 12, 13 and 14 which serve to insulate the ratchet wheels from the shafts and the disks from the ratchets. The disks are respectively connected with the shaft by springs 15, 16 and 17, which tend to return the disks and ratchets to a predetermined point which may be made by the engagement of pins 18 with stops 19 projecting upward from the bottom of the casing into the path of the pins. Each of the flanges of the insulating cups which sur-' round the disks are formed with notches 20 adapted to receive when brought into proper positions, the ends 21 of contact-arms 22 which are fixed to the rock-shaft 3 and in electrical contact therewith. Also mounted.

on the rock-shaft adjacent to each ratchet wheel is a pawl 23, and the tails 24 of the pawls and the tails 25 of the contact-arms are connected by, springs 26 the tendency of which is to hold the pawls in engagement with the ratchet and force the ends of the contact arms into the notches 20 when brought into alinement. In line with the ratchets are push buttons 27, 28 and 29, providcd respectively with stems 30, 31, and 32 to engage with the teeth of the respective ratchets. These buttons are normally pushed outward by springs 33. In line with the rock shaft 3 is a push-button 34 connected at its inner end with a bar 35 adapted to engage with the tails 24 of the pawls so as to lift the pawls out of engagement with the ratchet and at the same time engage with the tails of the contact-arms so as to move them out of the respective notches 20 allowing the disks and ratchets to move backward to the zero point. If desired, dummy buttons 36 and 37 may be arranged on opposite sides of the push-button 34, or these push buttons 36 and 37 may operate a battery and magneto if desired. At one side of the case is a binding-post 39 in electrical contact with the case, and on the opposite side is a binding post 38 in sulated' from the case but electrically connected with the rock shaft 3 by a brush plate 40, the shaft 3 being insulated from the casing.

' To close the switch the several push buttons 27, 28 and 29 are moved in a predetermined number of times so as to move the ratchets thereby turning the ratchets 6, 7 and 8 and the disks 9, 10 and 11 until the notches 20 in the insulated flanges surrounding the disks are brought into aline- 'ment with the ends 21 of the contact-arms 22 which, under the action of the springs 25, will drop into the notches 20 and hence make contact through the disks and shaft 2 through the casing and through the brush 40, and thus complete the circuit between the binding posts 38 and 39. When it is de sired to open the switch it is only necessary to push inward upon the button 34 which lifts the contact arms out of the notches 20 and the pawls 23 out of engagement with the ratchets allowing the ratchets and disks buttons have been pressed a predeterminedv number of times the switch cannot be closed.

' I claim 1. In an electrical switch, the combination with the casing, of a fixed shaft and a rock shaft mounted therein, ratchet wheels and disks mounted on said fixed shaft and connected therewith by springs, contact arms and pawls mounted on the rock shaft, means for turning the ratchet wheels, and means for releasing the pawls and contact arms.

2. In an electrical switch, the combination with a casing, of a fixed shaft in electrical' contact therewith, a rock shaft insulated from'the casing, a series of ratchets mounted on the rock shaft and insulated therefrom, a series of disks mounted on the shaft and connected with the ratchets from which they are insulated, said disks yieldingly connected with the said fixed shaft, a series of push-buttons adapted to separately operate the several ratchet wheels, a

series of pawls mounted on the rock shaft in line with said ratchets, a series of contact arms also mounted on the rock shaft and adapted to be brought into electrical contact with said disks, and means for releasing said ratchets and contact arms.

3. In an electrical switch, the combination with the casing, of a fixed shaft in electrical contact wit the casing, a rock shaft insulated from the casing, a series of ratchet wheels mounted on the said fixed shaftbut insulated therefrom, a series of disks also mounted on the rock shaft in electrical contact therewith, but insulated from the ratchets, insulated flanges surrounding said ratchets, said flanges formed with notches, means for turning the disks and ratchets to a predeterminedposition, a series of contact arms in electrical contact with the rock shaft and adapted vto be brought into contact with said disks through the insulation surrounding them, a series of pawls also mounted onthe rock shaft and in engagement with said ratchets, and means for moving said pawls and contact arms out of engagement with the ratchets and disks.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OTIS L. DAVIS. Witnesses:

D. B. VAUGHN, F. QBnrnn. 

